Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M. K. Stalin handed over a grant of ₹23.85 crore to the Foundries Development Foundation (FDF) for establishing an exclusive Centre of Excellence for Foundry Skill and Casting Development at the CODISSIA Industrial Park in Moperipalayam, Karumathampatti, Coimbatore.
The grant was presented to the heads of the foundation during the TN Rising Investors’ Meeting held at Hotel Le Méridien on 25th November 2025.
The upcoming Centre of Excellence is one of India’s major hubs for casting and foundry skill development.
About the Centre of Excellence
Tamil Nadu’s foundry sector currently employs more than 5 lakh people directly and over 1 million indirectly. The new centre aims to strengthen and expand this workforce by providing trained manpower to foundries across the state. It will also offer refresher and upskilling programmes for existing technicians and professionals, helping them adopt modern casting technologies and advanced industrial practices.
The centre will feature facilities for casting design optimisation through simulation, testing and validation services, and a modern laboratory for input material testing. Sustainability will be a key focus, with dedicated initiatives to recover, reclaim, recycle, reuse, and repurpose residues from foundries. These efforts are expected to support Tamil Nadu’s commitment to building an environmentally responsible manufacturing ecosystem.
Experts described the Centre of Excellence as a well-planned, forward-looking initiative that will reinforce Tamil Nadu’s leadership in manufacturing. It is expected to generate significant employment and accelerate the integration of Tamil Nadu’s foundries into the global supply chain for metal castings.
Tamil Nadu Foundries
Tamil Nadu plays a crucial role in supplying cast components to original equipment manufacturers in sectors such as automobiles, textiles, pumps and motors, mining and construction, food and agriculture, power, oil and gas, consumer durables, medical equipment, defence, and aerospace.
With a young workforce and rising domestic demand, the state’s foundry sector is projected to grow at least 2.5 times its current size in the coming years. This growth will require widespread adoption of advanced technology and a skilled workforce, underscoring the importance of the new centre.
India Foundries
India, meanwhile, is on the verge of emerging as a major global manufacturing player. Strengthening core metallurgical industries is essential to this transition, as metal castings form the foundation of most manufacturing processes.
The country has more than 5,000 foundries, including around 750 in Tamil Nadu. Together, Indian foundries generate about 20 billion US dollars in sales, with over 4 billion dollars coming from exports. India is the second-largest casting producer globally with 14 million tonnes, although it still remains behind China’s 45 million tonnes. Nearly 90 percent of Indian foundries fall under the MSME category.
